The TTSA National Dinghy Championships Series 1 were sailed in strong winds last weekend and featured 28 sailors from the Trinidad and Tobago Sailing Association (TTSA) Sailing School in Chaguaramas,

Vessigny Vikings Sailing Club and the HydroTec Point Fortin Sailing Club participated in three classes of boats.

Star of the show was Kelly-Ann Arrindell whose seven straight wins in the Laser Radial class left little doubt who will be this year’s Laser Radial Class Champion when the event concludes in June at either Vessigny or Point Fortin. With a catalogue of strong international results this year, Arrindell is up for a pick to represent TT at the Pan Am Games to be held in Canada in July this year. Second to Arrindell was Abigail Affoo and third by one point was Noel Furlonge-Walker, both showing improvement due to experience gained from attending

international events. The Laser 4.7 Class was won by Meiling Chan Chow with Kwame Gudel second and Isiah Paul of HydroTec Point Fortin Sailing Club in third. The Laser Standard class was won by Ian Mahon by one point from James Arrindell with Emmanuel Joseph of Vessigny third.

In the two-man 420 dinghy, victory went to Patrick Francois and Michael Stewart of Vessigny with Kathryn Christopher and Brittany Assam of TTSA second and Grace Moraine and Owen Joseph of Vessigny in third.

Thirteen participants took part in the 15 and under Optimist class. Proceedings started with an early tussle for dominance in the Opti class between TTSA’s Nathaniel Clarke and Christopher Dells of Vessigny but a more consistent second day performance by Clarke told in the end. Clarke won the class with Dells second and Akim Williams and Jamal Morson of Vessigny tied for third.

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IN LATE February, even as the national men’s team was flying out to California, their female counterparts were returning from Uruguay; both squads failed to advance from their respective World Hockey League Round Two play-offs.

Recently, Newsday published the reflections of the men’s coach Glen Francis. Today, we feature those of women’s team coach Anthony Marcano.

Whereas the TT men lost all six of their matches, the women actually registered two victories - a 5-0 score awarded against Kenya by default and a predictable win over Caribbean neighbours Dominican Republic. Omitting the Kenya result, the women scored five goals and conceded 19 in five outings.

The World League is a means to qualifying for major hockey tournaments like the Olympics and World Cup. TT’s challenges, Marcano told Newsday, began at home; just getting the players assembled and in training was difficult. “We had a hectic year coming out of Commonwealth Games, straight into World League Round One, straight into the CAC Games,” he reflected.

The three tournaments were compressed between July and November 2014, after which the players took a break to recuperate, and some were also seeking gainful employment. The latter fact doubtless influenced the decision to select nine youngsters among the final18.

It was done, Marcano claimed, looking forward to the 2016 Pan Am Under-21 Women’s Championship, which Trinidad and Tobago are scheduled to host.

Given the many issues, “Bumper,” as Marcano is affectionately known, felt TT had done well. Key to their performances, he said, was the fact that in the three weeks available before flying to Montevideo, they had worked strictly on their defensive game.

“The young ones obviously need some work, but I think they stood up pretty well,” he stated.

Among the stand-outs, he said, were co-captains Alanna Lewis and Patricia Wright-Alexis, goalkeeper Petal Derry, Kryzia Layne and youngsters Amie Olton and Jessica Lee. On opening day, Azerbaijan, ranked 19 by the FIH, beat TT 5-1; Alanna Lewis scored TT’s only item. Following Kenya’s default, they suffered successive 3-0 losses to France and Italy.

A double from Blair Wynne led them to victory over the Dominican Republic, but the French returned to hand TT a 6-1 beating, consigning them to sixth place among the eight teams. “We played a half-court game on everybody; we never played a normal three-quarter, and I think that was the difference,” he mused. “We know we’re quick at the front; if we get the opportunity and we counter-attack we are going to be fast, and teams understand that.” He believes long-term work on defence would ultimately change the TT’s international performances significantly, “But we need high-level competition to test that defence, he added.” With that in mind, “Bumper” has been working on a four-year-cycle plan that would avoid problems such as those which arose before the tournament in Montevideo, Uruguay and it would be critical in attracting quality opponents, both for purposes of player development and assessing overall team progress.

“If finance is an issue, then invite teams,” he adds. “But you can’t invite a team today for tomorrow. If you have a four-year cycle, you can invite a team to come next year, and they’re going to fit it into their programme.”

Meantime, domestic competition remains on hold as the National Hockey Centre turf in Tacarigua is being cleaned. Marcano says it costs upwards of $600 for a training session on the Marvin Lee Stadium in Macoya, the only other artificial surface in TT.

Unlike the men’s team, the TT women did not qualify for Pan Am Games. Their next overseas assignment will be in October - the Pan Am Challenge in Peru.

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The national Under-15 female water polo team delivered a 20-1 drubbing of Jamaica over the weekend in a friendly encounter at the Marlins Swim Pool, Westmoorings.

With the cancellation of the CARIFTA Water Polo Championships, Jamaica and Curacao’s water polo teams decided to come to Trinidad for some friendly competition. Curacao brought their Under-18 male team which took on this country’s Under-15 counterparts. In two games, it was all square when the water calmed, as both team registered a win each.

Next up for Trinidad and Tobago is CCCAN Water Polo Championships later this year.

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A SERIES of community sporting events is being planned for Diego Martin and its environs, starting in mid-April and running for eight weeks. Shurland Hartley, who heads the West Penn Sports and Cultural Organisation, says the objective of the series is to provide opportunities for recreational sport, and in the process, keep young people in the communities away from crime.

The largest and longest-running event will be the West Penn/RBC Youth District Football Tournament. Starting on April 12, it will be contested in two age-group divisions and run on a league basis. Eight teams are registered for the Under-16 division- Belle Vue/Bournes Road, Blue Basin/Bagatelle, Carenage/Pt Cumana United, Patna/River Estate, Petit Valley/Simeon United, St James United, St Lucien United and St Michael’s School for Boys. The same teams, minus St James and Belle Vue/Bournes Road will contest the Under-19 division.

Matches will be played at the Patna/River Estate ground, the Carenage Community Centre on Haig Street, the Belle Vue Community Centre, Diego Martin North Secondary and at Nelson Mandela Park in St Clair. RBC is footing costs associated with the running of the tournament as well as cash prizes. The champion Under-19 team will receive $5,000, while the Under-16 winners will collect $4,000.

Additionally, running enthusiasts will have their chance to participate in two events on May 10. The “Diego Run” will consist of a 5K race from the Diego Martin North Secondary School and back, as well as a half-marathon that will take runners through many of the communities. The half-marathon carries a cash prize of $6,000 for both male and female winners; when it was first run off last year, Tonya Nero and Cleveland Forde were the winners.

Hartley says that aside from RBC, the events are also receiving assistance from the Ministry of Community Development, the Sports Company (SPORTT), the Defence Force, WASA, Blue Waters and the NLCB. The football tournament opens on April 12 at the Diego Martin North Secondary School; the West Penn organisation has invited Sports Minister Brent Sancho and RBC Managing Director Darryl White to attend.

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